No Alliance With BJD In Odisha: BJP Odisha Chief Manmohan Samal

BHUBANESWAR: The prolonged negotiations between BJD and BJP for a possible pre-poll alliance failed with the saffron party’s Odisha president Manmohan Samal on Friday maintaining that they will go solo in the ensuing twin assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Taking to ‘X’ Samal said BJP will contest in all the 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats alone.

“Several welfare schemes of Narendra Modi government did not reach beneficiaries in Odisha due to absence of a double engine sarkar. Poor sisters and brothers were not getting their benefits. We have concerns on many issues related to Odisha-identity, Odisha-pride and interest of the people of Odisha," Samal posted.

At the outset of his post, Samal heaped praises on BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik for his party’s continued support to Modi government’s various initiatives in the last 10 years.

"To fulfill the hopes, wishes and aspirations of 4.5 crore people of Odisha, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP will fight the elections in Odisha alone," Samal said in his post on X.

The BJP's announcement came days after Naveen’s trusted aide V K Pandian had said that PM Modi and CM Naveen Patnaik wanted to come together for a "greater cause” which is beyond politics.